Anthony Kibagendi, the secretary of youth affairs in the Office of Deputy President William Ruto, has resigned from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
In a statement issued on Saturday, February 19, Kibagendi noted that he was yet to join another faction or associate himself with another political party. He added that he would detail his reasons for decamping from DP Ruto's party later in another statement.
"Yes, I have resigned from UDA, I have not joined any Party or association, I will give my reasons tomorrow," he stated.
There were reports alleging that the politician recently had an confrontation with a vocal lawmaker from Kisii on a Whatsapp group that saw the two exchange insults.
Efforts by Kenyans.co.ke to reach out to Kibagendi for a comment were futile as he was unavailable.
Kibagendi assumed the role in the DP's office in August 2018 and has been at the helm for three years and seven months. Previously, he engaged in several businesses primarily at Westwood Security Services Limited as a director of Operations for eight years.
His entrepreneurial spirit began at Maseno School where he would save part of his pocket money in order to buy trendy clothes and sell them at a profit during the holidays.
“I lived in a fairly rich neighbourhood where all the children around me had the latest of all things from books to clothes. My two sisters and I were brought up by a single mother and of course I could not get everything I wanted.
“In campus, I wanted to look good and to wear the trendiest clothes. I started a photocopying and printing business. Then an idea came to me about making branded university T-shirts. I was lucky to get orders from all the public universities, as well as from Centre of Disease Control (CDC) in Kisumu,” he stated in a previous interview with The Standard.
Kibagendi's exit from UDA came barely hours after Turkana Senator Imana Malachy left the party. The Senator on Saturday, February 19, was received by Azimio movement proponents, Defence Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and his Petroleum counterpart John Munyes in Lodwar.
However, all political parties are experiencing exit of members as politicians realign and way options ahead of August polls. Others like Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, a strong ally of Ruto has withdrawn from elective politics.
